GOT SOCCER?

Since the 1970’s the international sport of football, what is called soccer in the USA, has strived to catch on in the United States. There has been inroads made, but not to the degree that Hockey has yet. With the immigrant population growing, one would expect that to change.

Born in 1940 as Edson Arantes do Nascimento, AKA Pele, pronounced Paylay, in Brazil, became the household word for soccer in the whole world. The Brazilian born wonder electrified the world with his play: he became the Babe Ruth of soccer. Retired from Santos by the early 1970’s, Pele came out of retirement in 1974 and was signed by the New York Cosmos in an attempt to bring soccer to America to popularize it.

Others have followed, to help popularize the sport and give it a boost in the USA, but there is yet to be an event or player who has done that. But the question is: Why doesn’t soccer catch on in the USA?

Soccer in the late 70’s and early 80’s was starting to germinate in the younger generations. Leagues were sprouting all over the US and kids were involved as much as little league baseball was, and in some instances was more popular. As the exposure, although not great was evident, and kids started playing it in an organized fashion. Advocates of the game, supporters and sponsors all agreed that the game had some traction to work on.

But still, not national interest, why?

Probably the biggest reason is that no one in America really understands the game. It looks like too many people just kicking the ball up and down the field without a plan. Like baseball, it can give you slow results, and more than likely the scoring hardly happens to a rate that Americans like. People tried to improve the sport with new rules and a smaller indoor arena, but to no avail.

There is no coverage by the media, the newspapers never give it a headline, the sports section has no in depth analysis, no big name stars that play and certainly no contracts that get the attention that other sports do.

Ask the potential fans when the soccer season starts and ends in this country and he can’t tell you. What is the championship trophy in this country and no one knows, ask who is the biggest star and you will draw a blank look. Is there an organized league? Ask the ordinary sports fan.

Today is the 1^st day of June as I write this, scanning the newspaper, a major tabloid, and there is stories on baseball, football, hockey, basketball, tennis and even high school sports, not one mention of soccer!

That’s all I wrote, Folks!